South Shore Real Estate Market Report — August 2026
Charles King
Charles King is a top-producing real estate agent in Hingham, MA and a trusted Realtor serving the South Shore of Massachusetts, including Hanover, Hu...
Charles King is a top-producing real estate agent in Hingham, MA and a trusted Realtor serving the South Shore of Massachusetts, including Hanover, Hu...
South Shore Single Family Market Report: What the Numbers Tell Us Right Now
Published: August 5, 2026
Data source: MLSPIN, single-family home sales, February 5, 2026 – August 5, 2026
Author: Charles King, Charles King Group
Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate, Norwell, and Hanover anchor the South Shore's single-family market, and the six months of data now in hand tell a clear story: this remains a fast, competitive region with real price separation between towns. Across 16 South Shore communities, 1,631 single-family homes changed hands during the period, ranging from starter-friendly Abington to luxury-tier Cohasset. Here's what buyers and sellers need to know right now.
The Headline Numbers
- Highest median sale price: Cohasset, at $1,600,000
- Fastest-moving market: Hingham and Scituate, tied at a median 18 days on market
- Highest volume: Plymouth, with 324 homes sold
- Hingham (home base): $1,520,000 median sale price, $585.37 per square foot, 18 days on market
- Total South Shore volume: 1,631 single-family homes sold across the region during the reporting period
- Widest outlier: Hull, at 40 median days on market — more than double the regional norm
What it means: If you're selling anywhere near the region's anchor towns, well-priced homes are still moving in under three weeks. If you're buying, you need financing and an offer strategy ready before you tour, not after.
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What Stands Out — and What It Means
Hingham is the region's benchmark for both speed and price. At $585.37 per square foot and a median 18 days on market, Hingham combines the South Shore's highest price-per-square-foot figure among anchor towns with its fastest pace. What it means: sellers in Hingham have real pricing power right now, and buyers should expect multiple-offer conditions on well-presented homes.
Cohasset sits in its own luxury tier. A $1,600,000 median sale price — the highest of any South Shore town in this report — comes with a slightly longer 24-day median market time. What it means: Cohasset's buyer pool is smaller and more deliberate, so pricing precision matters more than speed of sale.
Scituate is quietly one of the strongest performers in the region. A median 18 days on market (tied with Hingham) and $501.30 per square foot show a town keeping pace with the region's hottest markets while staying meaningfully more affordable than Hingham or Cohasset. What it means: Scituate buyers priced out of Hingham are finding comparable urgency — and comparable competition — just a few miles down the coast.
Norwell and Hanover are the region's steady middle. Both towns cluster in the $930,000–$950,000 range with near-identical 19-day market times. What it means: these towns offer predictable, less volatile conditions for buyers who want anchor-town access without Hingham- or Cohasset-level competition.
Plymouth is the volume engine of the South Shore. With 324 homes sold — nearly triple any other town in this report — Plymouth offers far more inventory at a $725,000 median price. What it means: buyers who need more available options and a lower price point should widen their search to Plymouth rather than waiting out a thin market in the anchor towns.
Hull's 40-day median market time is the clearest outlier in this report. Every other town in the region cleared in 18–24 days; Hull more than doubled that. What it means: pricing strategy in Hull needs more care right now — homes that are priced to the town's actual demand are moving, but overpriced listings are sitting.
What This Means for Sellers in Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate, Norwell & Hanover
If you're selling in Hingham or Scituate, the data supports confident pricing — homes are clearing in a median of 18 days, which signals strong buyer demand relative to supply. Cohasset sellers should expect a slightly longer runway (24 days) but are working with the highest price ceiling in the region; precise, comp-driven pricing matters more than speed here. Norwell and Hanover sellers are in the most balanced position of the five anchor towns — steady 19-day market times mean there's room to prepare a home properly (staging, minor repairs, professional photography) without losing the market's momentum. Across all five anchor towns, homes that are priced to current comps rather than last year's numbers are the ones clearing fastest.
What This Means for Buyers
Speed matters most in Hingham and Scituate — both towns are clearing in a median 18 days, which means buyers need pre-approval in hand and a clear sense of their max offer before touring. Cohasset buyers have slightly more breathing room but should be prepared for the region's highest price floor. Norwell and Hanover currently offer the best combination of anchor-town access and slightly less competitive pace among the five, making them worth prioritizing for buyers who've been outbid elsewhere on the South Shore. Buyers who need more inventory and more negotiating room should also look at Plymouth, where a much larger supply (324 sales) is keeping the median price at $725,000 — well below the anchor towns.
Scituate Spotlight: This Month's Featured Town
Scituate deserves a closer look this month. Its median 18-day market time ties it with Hingham for the fastest pace in the entire South Shore report, yet its $980,000 median sale price sits roughly $540,000 below Hingham's. That combination — anchor-town-level urgency at a meaningfully lower price point — is unusual, and it suggests Scituate is absorbing overflow demand from buyers priced out of Hingham and Cohasset. At $501.30 per square foot, Scituate also outpaces every South Shore town except Hingham and Cohasset on a price-per-square-foot basis, pointing to genuine strength in the town's core inventory rather than a handful of outlier sales. For sellers, this is a strong window to list. For buyers, it means Scituate is no longer a "backup" to Hingham — it's competitive in its own right, and offers need to reflect that.
August 2026 Outlook
Inventory across most South Shore towns remains tight enough to keep days-on-market in the high teens to low twenties, with Hull as the clear exception. Expect pricing power to stay with sellers in Hingham, Scituate, and Cohasset through the rest of the summer, while towns like Norwell, Hanover, and Plymouth offer buyers a more balanced negotiating environment. If you're weighing a move on either side of the transaction, now is a good time to talk through your specific town and timeline.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Hingham right now?
Hingham's median single-family sale price is $1,520,000, with homes selling at a median of $585.37 per square foot and clearing the market in a median of 18 days. Source: MLSPIN, February 5–August 5, 2026.
How much do homes cost in Cohasset?
Cohasset's median single-family sale price is $1,600,000 — the highest of any South Shore town in this report — at $559.52 per square foot. Homes in Cohasset spend a median of 24 days on market. Source: MLSPIN, February 5–August 5, 2026.
Is Scituate a good market for sellers this year?
Yes — Scituate homes are selling at a median of $980,000 with a median of just 18 days on market, tying Hingham for the fastest pace in the South Shore region. At $501.30 per square foot, Scituate is also outperforming most of the region on price. Source: MLSPIN, February 5–August 5, 2026.
What are homes selling for in Norwell and Hanover?
Norwell's median sale price is $950,000 with a median of 19 days on market; Hanover's is $930,000, also at a median of 19 days. Both towns offer more balanced conditions than Hingham or Cohasset while still delivering solid, steady demand. Source: MLSPIN, February 5–August 5, 2026.
Why are homes taking longer to sell in Hull?
Hull's median days on market is 40 — more than double most other South Shore towns — while its median sale price is $735,000. This points to a market where pricing needs to be more closely aligned with actual buyer demand; well-priced Hull homes are moving, but overpriced listings are sitting. Source: MLSPIN, February 5–August 5, 2026.
Where can I find more affordable options on the South Shore?
Plymouth offers the most inventory in the region by far, with 324 single-family homes sold at a median price of $725,000 — well below the anchor towns. Weymouth ($700,000) and Abington ($645,000) also offer lower entry points with solid transaction volume. Source: MLSPIN, February 5–August 5, 2026.
Is it a good time to buy or sell on the South Shore right now?
It's a stronger market for sellers in Hingham, Scituate, and Cohasset, where homes are moving in 18–24 days with firm pricing. Buyers have more room to negotiate in towns like Norwell, Hanover, Plymouth, and Hull, where longer market times or larger inventory create more flexibility. Source: MLSPIN, February 5–August 5, 2026.